


The Ice Prince

by TheEigthPillarGeneral



Category: Bleach
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Olympics, Austria, Boys In Love, Canada, Explicit Sexual Content, Fluff and Smut, France (Country), Hockey, Hurt/Comfort, Ice Skating, M/M, Romance, Winter Olympics
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-17
Updated: 2021-03-25
Packaged: 2021-03-26 09:07:45
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 12,435
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30103605
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheEigthPillarGeneral/pseuds/TheEigthPillarGeneral
Summary: It's a cold February in Salzburg, making it a perfect year for the Winter Olympic Games. This year also marks the very first Winter Olympics for Abarai Renji, a twenty-three year old up-and-coming Japanese ice hockey player who is playing for Team Canada. With the pressure to win a gold medal upon his shoulders, the last thing Renji expects is to encounter a group of elegant French athletes, particularly Kuchiki Byakuya, a figure skater who enchants him almost immediately.Kuchiki Byakuya is a twenty-six year old Japanese veteran figure skater, entering his third Winter Olympics as part of Team France. Intent on winning a gold medal in memory of his late wife, his whole world changes when he meets Abarai Renji, a hockey player who ignites a spark of desire and longing that's almost alien to him after so long. And despite his promise to himself, not even he can deny how electrifying their mutual attraction is.And between the romance of an Austrian winter and the heat of competition, they come to realize that perhaps they share a lot more in common than either of them expect.
Relationships: Abarai Renji & Hisagi Shuuhei, Abarai Renji & Kuchiki Rukia, Abarai Renji/Kuchiki Byakuya
Comments: 38
Kudos: 15





	1. Wilkommen in Salzburg

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After months of training, Renji arrives in Salzburg with his teammates, ready to compete in his very first Winter Olympics. Meanwhile, Byakuya makes a promise to himself for the upcoming competition.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was inspired by LethanWolf and Geishaaa's fic "Going for Gold", and I knew I had to get this one written out. So with that, I present to you, "The Ice Prince"!
> 
> Also, the chapter title translates to "Welcome to Salzburg" in German.
> 
> I hope you all enjoy!

The first thing that Renji feels is a light jolt, one that is enough to wake him up from his sleep, and the dull roar of the plane’s wheels on the runway has him a little confused for a moment as he stares at the back of the seat right in front of him.

“Wake up, Sleeping Beauty,” Hisagi Shuuhei, his teammate, tells him with a light nudge. “We’re here at last.”

 _Already?_ Renji thinks in disbelief, peering out the window.

Sure enough, he’s met with the sight of the wintery landscape of Austria, the pure-white snow sparkling prettily in the late afternoon sun as the plane gradually slows down on the runway.

As other planes pass by, the flight attendant announces their arrival, speaking in German first, then switching to English to repeat the same thing: an announcement of arrival, the current hour and weather, and the standard directions of where to go in the Salzburg Airport for customs and connecting flights.

Fortunately for Renji and everyone else travelling with him, this is their final destination.

“I can’t wait to get off this plane,” Renji sighs, switching his phone on again. “And I can’t wait to actually sleep in a proper bed again.”

“You’re telling me!” Hisagi agrees, staring at his phone screen. “I can already feel the jet-lag settling in…”

Eventually, the plane comes to a stop at the gate, and once the jet bridge has been connected to the plane’s door, the seatbelt sign is switched off, prompting Renji to immediately undo his seatbelt.

Once he’s retrieved his backpack from beneath the seat in front of him, he follows Hisagi out into the aisle before they exit the aircraft together.

Immediately, they go to join up with the rest of their ice hockey team and their coach: the legendary Komamura Sajin, the most famous Japanese-Canadian ice hockey player in Canada and the whole damn world.

“I know I shouldn’t have to tell all of you this, but get your passports ready,” Komamura tells them, his voice stern and no-nonsense. “We don’t want to waste the time of the customs officers, so let’s get going now.”

Renji’s mind is still addled with jet-lag, no thanks to that overnight flight that lasted over seven hours from Toronto to Frankfurt. Sure, it might not be the first time he’s gone on an overnight flight, but it doesn’t change how much he dislikes them at all.

Komamura, on the other hand, seems virtually unaffected by the change in time zones. If anything, he looks very well-rested.

 _Lucky him…_ Renji thinks with a twinge of envy.

As if sensing his eyes on him, Komamura glances over at Renji with a smile.

“You slept well, kid?” he asks, switching over to Japanese.

Renji nods. “I’m still very tired,” he admits, also speaking Japanese. “And I’m ready to just crash for the day.”

Komamura chuckles. “Yeah, overnight flights are a real pain in the ass,” he agrees. “But once we get through customs and get our bags, you can sleep on the shuttle to the Olympic Village.”

“Hopefully,” Renji muses to himself.

He’s always looked up to Komamura, even before he’d signed onto the men’s ice hockey team. After all, he’s become known for being tough to keep up with on the ice, and his techniques are completely unparalleled to anyone else.

But off the rink, Komamura is like a father to the rest of the team, encouraging everyone to reach their full potential in every tournament. And with Renji, he’d sensed his raw talent, and has even become something of a father-figure to him.

 _I swear I won’t let you down, Komamura…_ Renji vows to himself. _I’m gonna make you proud, and I’ll stop at nothing until I win my first gold._

As they pass through customs, Renji continues to reflect on his life and hockey career, the noise of the airport nothing more than a distant lull as he goes over his thoughts.

At nineteen, he’d started playing for the Yokohama Grits back in his native Japan, but when he was only twenty-years-old, he was drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs, thus starting the beginning of his career in the Canadian Hockey League. Now, at twenty-three years of age, Renji has been drafted to the roster of the Canadian men’s ice hockey team for his very first Winter Olympics, and he cannot be more thrilled at how far he’s come.

And if that weren’t enough, also joining him are Hisagi Shuuhei, a fellow Japanese countryman and Maple Leafs teammate, and even Madarame Ikkaku, a Japanese hockey player who’s spent most of his life in Québec before playing for the Maple Leafs.

Yet as excited as he is to partake in the Salzburg Winter Olympics, Renji knows that the pressure is on for real.

His hockey skills and style of play have earned him a lot of media attention, earning him the nickname of ‘the Wolf’, due to how relentless he is as a forward. All the sports networks and commentators love to hype him up whenever he enters the rink before a game, always saying that he is “ready for blood” and how “he will show no mercy”.

But at the same time, the media has come to adore him because of how friendly and down-to-earth he is off the rink, and for being “the sexiest hockey player to come out of Japan”; a reputation that Hisagi and Madarame like to tease him about.

And the media attention has only intensified after Renji had helped Team Canada win the gold medal game of the Ice Hockey World Championships against Team Russia in Saint Petersburg last year.

And now, Renji is entering the Olympics with the expectations of winning gold weighing upon his shoulders. Indeed, the pressure is on for real, and Renji doesn’t want to let anyone down.

“Finally, I thought that would never end…” Hisagi sighs, putting his passport away.

“I know…” Renji agrees, also putting his passport back into his backpack.

“What do you say about a photo before getting our bags?” Hisagi asks teasingly.

Renji looks at him in disbelief. “Seriously? I’m _not_ taking a photo right now, not like this!” he protests.

“I was just kidding, man,” Hisagi chuckles.

“Yeah, whatever, I’m way too tired for this.”

They head down to the arrivals hall to their luggage carousel to get their bags. Their equipment will be shipped to the Olympic Village in a few days’ time, so there’s no need to worry about any of those, fortunately.

 _I wonder what Rukia would say if she were to see me right now?_ Renji can’t help but wonder.

Rukia had been his childhood friend back in Japan. They’d grown up in the same old apartment building together, where Rukia’s older sister Hisana had lived, and they had been as thick as thieves back then. For the longest of times, it had been them against the whole world, and Hisana had been like a mother to them both. She’d somehow managed to balance out her figure skating with taking care of them; something quite impressive, in all honesty.

But alas, things had come to an end when Renji and Rukia were both thirteen-years-old.

Hisana, who was sixteen at the time, had caught the eye of a well-known figure skating coach from France, who had offered to bring both her and Rukia to Paris with her in order to nurture their potential as skaters. Renji hadn’t wanted to hold either of them back, so he’d let Rukia go; a decision that has come to haunt him for most of his life.

He hasn’t seen Rukia in ages now, and she’s probably forgotten about him. But from what he’s heard, Rukia has started a successful career as a solo figure skater in France, so it seems that she has gotten the life that she has deserved for so long.

His thoughts are interrupted by a buzzing sound, and Renji notices the light on the carousel beginning to flash before the belt starts to move. One by one, suitcases start to emerge out into the terminal, and Renji keeps an eye out for his own duffel bag.

“You boys ready for the Olympics this year?”

Matsumoto Rangiku, a Japanese-Canadian alpine skier from Victoria, approaches both Renji and Hisagi, wearing a red Team Canada hoodie just like the others. Not only will she be competing in alpine skiing this year, but she’ll be carrying the Canadian flag for the opening ceremony itself.

Renji nods, blinking slowly to try and keep himself awake.

“Yeah, I guess I will be once I get some sleep,” he says.

“Me too,” Hisagi agrees.

Even so, it’s hard to shake off the anticipation that runs through Renji’s veins right now.

“I still can’t believe this is my very first Olympics,” Renji says, not bothering to hide the excitement from his voice.

Rangiku smirks slightly. “Believe me, it’ll be the best thing you’ll ever experience in your life,” she says. “For me, it feels great to be competing again.”

Unlike Renji and Hisagi, Rangiku is a veteran Olympic athlete, having competed in the alpine skiing events at the Winter Olympics in Oslo and Helsinki several years ago. However, an injury during one of her training sessions resulted in her missing the last Winter Olympics in Harbin four years ago, so of course she’d be excited to be competing again.

“We’re going to win every single gold this year,” Rangiku announces, clearly trying to hype everyone up.

“Fuck yeah, we are,” Madarame Ikkaku agrees with a grin.

“Tell me, is it true that Olympians have a lot of sex?” Hisagi asks, making Renji stare at him in disbelief.

“Really? Out of all the questions…”

“What? It’s a genuine question!”

Rangiku laughs heartily, patting Hisagi’s shoulder. “Well, let’s just say that there’s a reason why people compare Olympic Villages to college campuses.”

Renji’s cheeks heat up at the very thought.

He’s heard a lot of things about the sex and hookup culture in Olympic Villages, but he’d always thought it was an exaggeration.

“I got no time for hook-ups,” Madarame scowls. “I’m only here to win a gold and that’s all. Anything else, well… _c’est donc niaiseux.”_

Of course he would say it like that, and punctuate it with a Québecois swear word that Renji still doesn’t even understand after all his time living in Canada.

“That kind of attitude is nice and all that, but it’ll make the Olympics boring,” Rangiku tells him. “Take it from a veteran, and learn to enjoy everything around you, like the city and all the other events that will be going on. Plus,” she smirks, “you might say no to hook-ups right now, but you won’t be saying that once you meet a cute athlete from another country or so.”

Madarame scowls again and turns back to the belt. “Shut up…”

She does have a point, though. After all, it’s not everyday one gets to travel out to Austria and see the sights, so he should make the most of this opportunity and explore this beautiful European city as much as he can.

And a hook-up with a hot athlete sounds like a great idea, Renji has to admit. It doesn’t even matter if he’s hooking up with a woman or a man, since he swings both ways; so long as he can relieve some tension before or after training or an event, then it’ll all be just fine.

 _Exploring, training, and getting laid… sounds like a great regimen._ Renji muses to himself.

Right then, his duffel bag comes round on the carousel, and Renji immediately retrieves it from the belt. And now that everyone else has gotten their things, it’s almost time to head outside and find the shuttle that will take them to the Olympic Village.

“Plus, the European athletes are incredibly… _talented,”_ Rangiku says, all while Hisagi listens with an earnest fascination. “Especially the ones from France and Italy. They can be very passionate, both in and out of competition, so don’t be too afraid to get to know them better…”

Renji just tunes out Rangiku’s impromptu Olympic sex education talk in favour of listening to his hockey teammates as he goes through his phone, checking through his messages and sending a text to his neighbour who is kindly watching over his pet dog while he’s gone.

It’s as they’re beginning to head towards the airport exit that Renji’s attention is captured by another large group of athletes in the arrivals hall, all of them wearing navy-blue winter coats that have ‘FRANCE’ emblazoned in white upon the right sleeve of each coat.

All of the athletes are speaking French to one another, and Renji can’t help but take note of how different it sounds from the way Madarame speaks French.

 _So this is Team France…_ He thinks to himself, observing them curiously as they approach a luggage carousel.

That’s when he notices a male athlete who stands away from the rest of Team France with a blue suitcase at his side, and Renji can’t help but let his gaze linger upon him.

The man is Japanese, and he holds himself with a grace and elegance that seems so natural to him. His skin is as pale as fresh winter snow, his long hair as black as night itself, and his gray eyes scan his surroundings impassively before he looks down at his phone. Compared to Renji’s own jeans and red hoodie, this man is dressed rather stylishly, and he doesn’t even seem to be affected by jet lag at all.

Everything about this man is classy and sophisticated, and for some reason, Renji can’t bring himself to take his eyes off of him.

 _Who is that guy?_ Renji wonders, noticing a rather melancholic air to him. _And why does he seem so sad?_

As if sensing Renji’s eyes on him, the man looks up from his phone just in time for their eyes to meet, and Renji is even more struck by the man’s youthful, delicate features. 

_Goddamn, he is pretty…_ He thinks to himself, offering a friendly smile to the man.

An elbow in his side interrupts his thoughts, and Renji turns to see Hisagi giving him a pointed look.

“The shuttle’s here, Abarai,” he tells him. “Come on.”

“R-Right…”

Renji slings his duffel bag over his shoulder and follows the rest of the group outside into the cold and frosty air of Salzburg, where a shuttle bus waits at the curb for them.

And for a moment, as he shoves his bag into the storage compartment under the bus and moves to get on board, he swears he sees the same beautiful Japanese man watching him from inside the airport.

* * *

The flight from Paris to Salzburg had passed by incredibly fast, with only a brief layover in Frankfurt before a connecting flight to the host city of this year’s Winter Olympics. Then again, that is one of the benefits to travelling within Europe: every country is so close to each other, that they probably could have taken a train if they wanted to.

But considering all the equipment that everyone is carrying, flying to Salzburg is much more convenient.

Kuchiki Byakuya leans against a column in the arrivals hall, going through his phone and occasionally glancing up to see if his luggage has arrived yet.

As always, he’s trained very hard for this year’s Olympics, even more than usual, actually. Then again, since this will be his first Olympics as a solo figure skater, the extra training had been necessary.

Besides, no one else can possibly fill Hisana’s shoes; it’s almost hard to even imagine.

A pang strikes Byakuya’s heart at the thought, and he sighs morosely.

 _You should be here, Hisana…_ He thinks, staring at a photo of himself and Hisana from the Winter Olympics in Harbin four years ago.

That had been Hisana’s last Olympics before she’d passed away so suddenly, within days of returning to Paris together.

“Byakuya!”

Rose Otoribashi’s voice snaps Byakuya out of his thoughts and he looks up to see his coach by the carousel.

“Your suitcase is here!” Otoribashi tells him, speaking in French. “Hurry up!”

With a nod, Byakuya goes and retrieves his luggage before going to stand by the column once more.

Otoribashi has been Byakuya’s coach for the past four years. Born to a Japanese father and a French mother, Rose Otoribashi has become world-renowned for his skills as both a pair and a solo skater, even winning a silver medal back in 1988. He might be a bit flamboyant and spirited, but Byakuya respects him for how much he has helped him in his career.

At twenty-six years of age, this year marks the third Winter Olympics of Byakuya’s career, and his first Olympics as a solo skater. It’ll be strange to perform without his wife by his side, but at least she’ll be with him in spirit.

“Well, well. Now here’s a face I haven’t seen for a while now.”

Byakuya looks up just in time to see Shihouin Yoruichi, the figure skating coach of both Hisana and Rukia, standing in front of him with a smirk on her face.

He narrows his eyes.

“What are you doing, Demon-Cat?” he asks coolly. “Shouldn’t you be pestering Rukia right now?”

“Unlike you, Rukia actually likes my company,” Yoruichi quips back slyly. “Don’t look so mopey, _Petit_ Byakuya. This is your third Winter Olympics, so you should be excited!”

Born to a Japanese mother and an Algerian father, Shihouin Yoruichi is a world-class figure skater and coach, a family friend of the Kuchiki family, and a constant pain in Byakuya’s side since his teenage years. He hates how she loves calling him ‘Petit Byakuya’, how she’s so quick to rile him up, and how she constantly teases him about being so ‘uptight’.

Then again, if it weren’t for Yoruichi, Byakuya would have never met Hisana or Rukia.

“Yoruichi-san!”

Yukimura Rukia, Byakuya’s petite sister-in-law, approaches them both. “Your bags are here,” she tells her dutifully.

“Why thank you, Rukia,” Yoruichi says with a smile. “I’ll be right on over there.”

With that, they head over to the carousel.

Byakuya sighs quietly and looks back down at his phone when he suddenly feels someone’s eyes on him.

Frowning slightly, he looks up from his phone screen only to lock eyes with a male athlete in a red Team Canada hoodie, right near the airport exit.

And just like that, the world seems to slow down for a brief moment.

The man is Japanese, and surprisingly tall. He has a shock of long, crimson hair that’s tied up in a high ponytail, and black jagged tattoos on his forehead that stand out against his lightly-bronzed skin and make his eyes seem much sharper. He’s watching him curiously, and Byakuya can’t help but stare at his unique looks.

He’s never seen hair that red before, and those tattoos look surprisingly intricate. Despite the man’s height, he seems rather young, and something about the friendly smile that tugs at the corner of his mouth makes Byakuya’s heart skip a beat.

Right then, another Japanese man in a red hoodie elbows the redhead, and Byakuya can distantly make out their conversation in Japanese, something about going to the shuttle bus outside.

And just like that, before Byakuya realizes, all the Canadian athletes have left the airport.

 _Who was that man?_ Byakuya wonders to himself, standing upright as he goes to join Rukia and the rest of the French athletes.

“The shuttle bus is waiting outside for us,” Kyoraku Shunsui, the head coach of Team France, announces. “So let’s get going so we can get to the Olympic Village now.”

The cold Austrian air is quick to greet them when they step outside, but it’s a welcome relief for Byakuya. It’s even colder than a typical Parisian winter, but it’s nothing that Byakuya is afraid of.

Between all of the French coaches and athletes, it takes several minutes to get everyone’s bags and equipment stored in the compartment underneath, and they practically fill up the entire bus before they pull away from the airport.

Byakuya stares out the window for the duration of the bus ride, trying not to let the noise overwhelm him as he stares out at the mountainous, snow-covered landscape that passes by them.

“Nii-sama,” Rukia says in Japanese, getting Byakuya’s attention. “Are you ready for this year’s games?”

Byakuya nods, switching to Japanese as he answers. “It’ll be strange to perform without Hisana,” he admits.

“Indeed,” Rukia agrees.

Then again, his switch to solo skating had been anticipated at the World Figure Skating Championships in Milan last year, where he’d won first place for both his short and free skate programs, thus securing his place as part of the Olympic team for Salzburg.

This year, he will ensure that he wins a gold medal in Hisana’s memory, and nothing will get in the way of that. He’s fully aware of how this will only further his reputation as “Le Prince de Glace”, or “the Ice Prince of France”, but Byakuya has already embraced that name a long time ago.

 _Better ‘Prince de Glace’ than ‘Petit Byakuya’…_ He thinks to himself.

And if he wishes to get that medal, then he cannot let himself get attached to anyone. Such distractions will only cost him his victory, and he refuses to let himself get hurt for a second time.

Besides, how else can he prove himself worthy if he fails? No, he refuses to let Hisana down. He will compete in her honour, and dedicate his performances to her memory, just as he had done during the championships last year.

He’s not in Salzburg to make any friends. He’s here to win.

And he must never forget that, no matter what.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- I chose Salzburg as the host city because it has bid for the Winter Olympics in previous years; plus, it's a very beautiful city that's almost perfect for a beautiful and electric romance between an ice hockey player and a figure skater ;)
> 
> \- "c'est donc niaiseux" means "it's pretty stupid"; "niaiseux" is a Québecois swear word, and I do hope to be able to use more of them in this fic :D
> 
> \- Also, Rangiku's joke about getting laid at the Olympics has some truth to it. Olympic athletes have a lot of sex in the Olympic villages, to the point that there's always a huge shipment of condoms for the athletes prior to the games, lmao.
> 
> I'm really excited to write this fic, and I hope you're all looking forward to it as well!
> 
> Please let me know how I did, and have a good one!


	2. Unexpected Reunion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Renji and his teammates settle in the Olympic Village, he has two unexpected encounters: one with his old childhood friend, and the other with the beautiful stranger from the airport.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for your comments and kudos so far! Now, here comes Chapter 2, which has some feels and suggestive stuff in it, so be prepared!
> 
> I hope you enjoy!

The bus ride is loud but short; not enough time for Renji to take a quick nap, so he doesn’t bother. Not like he can even try when there’s so much noise all around him. So instead, he stares out at the passing scenery of Salzburg, and thankfully, the journey doesn’t last too long before they finally begin to near the Olympic Village.

“We’re finally here!” Hisagi says, pointing out the window as the bus passes through the gates. “Look at it!”

Renji nods, his breath catching as he stares outside, excitement building up within him.

In the center of the village complex, the five Olympic rings stand in all their glory, glowing bright white amidst the multiple high-rise buildings that will house him and every single athlete from around the world for more than sixteen days. Situated right before the Olympic rings is a large fountain with blue lights illuminating the water jets as they shoot high up into the air.

Lining the curbsides leading towards the residential buildings are all the flags of the world, and other unique art fixations decorate the complex as they continue through the village.

And this entire village is situated beautifully against Untersberg, the closest mountain peak to Salzburg, and the venue for all the skiing and snowboarding events.

“Can you believe we’re already here?” Hisagi asks excitedly.

Renji shakes his head. “I know, right?”

Everyone in the bus is equally excited, and he can practically feel the thrum of anticipation that lingers in the air. Renji finds himself recalling Rangiku’s advice to have fun while he can, and now that they’re here, it’s becoming easier to think about, especially with the enthusiasm in the atmosphere and the sense of community that’s beginning to settle over the entire team.

Eventually, the bus stops and the doors open up, allowing all the Canadian athletes to excitedly disembark. Unloading everyone’s equipment and luggage does take some time, but eventually, everyone’s suitcases have been unloaded and all the athletes are gathering to meet their coaches and get their room keys.

“All male hockey players, over here!” Komamura calls, his voice booming as he waves everyone over.

Renji and Hisagi go to meet with him and Muguruma Kensei, their team captain, and once their teammates have gathered around, that’s when Komamura speaks.

“Just like in the past, you’ll all be sharing rooms with each other,” Komamura tells them as Muguruma hands out room keys. “The same accommodation rules from every other tournament applies here, is that understood? You’re all adults, perfectly capable of rooming together, so I don’t wanna hear any stories about who’s doing what, is that understood?”

“Yes, coach!” Renji says.

“Good. Now then, we’re all in that building over there.” Komamura points over to one of the buildings. “Sixth floor.”

As it turns out, Renji and Hisagi are rooming together. Not that either of them mind; they’ve roomed together for so many tournaments that it would feel strange if they weren’t together this time.

Plus, they already have a set of ground rules that they both know by heart, which makes it even easier to be put together.

After Komamura announces that Madarame and Iba Tetsuzaemon, their goalie, will be rooming together, it’s time to head up to their designated rooms.

It takes several trips in the elevator to get everyone to their correct floor, but eventually, Renji and Hisagi are getting off on the sixth floor of the building and carrying their duffel bags to their room.

The room is simple enough, like a college dorm, but it’s certainly nice enough for visiting athletes. There are two low, platform-style double beds covered in blue duvet covers, each one with an edelweiss flower design, the official logo of the Salzburg Winter Olympics. A small desk rests against the wall near the TV, and two armchairs are set close to the glass doors that lead out to a balcony overlooking the rest of the village. Likewise, the bathroom is just as spartan, with some bath products like shampoo, body wash, and toothpaste (that would go unused, since they’d brought their own), but it would do for their stay.

Also on the beds are some welcome packs for them both. In the packs are plush toys of the Olympic mascots (a hedgehog and an Alpine dog with a blue toque and yellow scarf, respectively), brochures about the village facilities (lending library, dining hall, laundry, athletes’ lounge, a bar among others), a list of rules to follow, some lanyards and keychains, maps of the village and town, a blue bathrobe, and, much to Renji’s surprise, some condoms and several different types of lube.

“Rangiku really wasn’t lying,” Hisagi laughs, holding up one of the condoms. “There’s a whole ton of ‘em in here.”

“They really planned ahead, didn’t they?” Renji muses, staring at the bottles of water-based and oil-based lubes. Each one has a label reading ‘Eco-friendly, unflavoured’.

“But I don’t think these condoms will be big enough for you, if you know what I mean?” Hisagi teases with a raised eyebrow.

Renji’s cheeks heat up rapidly, and he drops his pack on the bed. “The hell is that supposed to mean?”

“Seriously?” Hisagi is disbelieving. “You know very well what I’m talking about. Which is why I came prepared just for you.”

He tosses Renji a box, which he catches with both hands before looking down at the label: Magnum-brand, size large.

 _Of course he would!_ Renji thinks with a groan.

“You are either the best kind of friend, or the worst,” Renji sighs. “You know that, Hisagi?”

“You love me and you know it, Abarai,” Hisagi laughs.

The first time Hisagi had learned about how _well-endowed_ Renji is, it had been in the change rooms after a game, which ended up making him the envy of his teammates. And then him overhearing Renji’s past partners, both girls and guys, crying out about how _big_ he is in the throes of passion when they had been living together three years ago hadn’t helped either.

And ever since those few times when he and Hisagi had casually fooled around after a couple of tournaments, Hisagi has loved to playfully rib Renji about his size in the bedroom every now and then.

Though admittedly, this is rather helpful, so he just puts the box of condoms into his bedside table drawer, along with the lube.

“I was thinking…” Hisagi muses with a smirk, one that has Renji tense up immediately. “Should I upload that underwear modelling shoot you did last year? You know, so we can show everyone else all the goods that Team Canada has to offer?”

“Don't even think about it.” Renji’s ears burn despite his curt tone of voice, earning another laugh from Hisagi.

Of course. The Emporio Armani underwear shoot is another favourite topic that Hisagi likes to playfully rib him about. In fact, Rangiku and Madarame also like to tease him about it every now and then.

Renji had never been one to model for anything, but it had paid quite well, so he’d accepted it. The photos had made him look good, showing off his muscles and every single one of his tattoos, and it had even earned him a sizable female fanbase shortly afterwards.

Knowing Hisagi, though, he’s probably going to share it online at some point. And if it’s not Hisagi, then it’ll definitely be Rangiku or Madarame who will share it.

“I’m going for a shower now,” Renji says, eager to change the subject. “And maybe get into something a bit warmer.”

“Go ahead,” Hisagi says. “Shower’s all yours.”

The spray of hot water from the shower feels so damn good after such a long flight. Once he feels a bit cleaner and more human, he shuts off the water and steps out, wrapping a towel around his waist before drying his hair with a smaller one and draping that over his neck.

He changes into a pair of jeans and a black sweater, and once his hair has dried properly, he combs it out until it’s flowing freely past his shoulders. After finishing, Renji exits the bathroom, allowing Hisagi to have his turn before he moves to lie down on his bed and read through the information pamphlets about Salzburg.

They have a few days of training before the opening ceremony takes place, so maybe he could possibly squeeze in a bit of exploration in-between. Plus, there is a lot to see and do in Salzburg, and Renji would be a fool if he passed up this opportunity to explore.

“I’m done,” Hisagi announces, stepping out of the shower. “Still can’t believe how amazing a shower feels after hours of flying.”

“I know,” Renji agrees, rubbing his eyes. “But now I’m even more tired.”

“Oi, you can’t sleep now! You’ll fuck up your sleeping schedule!” Hisagi reminds him. “Besides, we still need to get dinner.”

 _Come to think of it, I am pretty hungry._ Renji realizes.

“Rangiku texted me to let you know that she and Madarame will be meeting us outside our building,” Hisagi adds.

Maybe some food will make him feel better. That and some nice, cold air.

He puts his phone and room key into his pocket before putting on a plain gray toque, a dark-red bomber jacket, and his official Team Canada red-and-white mittens. After Hisagi has gotten his own coat, toque, mittens, and room key, they head out to the elevator.

Sure enough, just like Hisagi had said, Rangiku is standing outside the building along with Madarame, looking much more refreshed from some downtime in their rooms.

“There you are!” Rangiku greets. “Now let’s go and grab some dinner. I don’t know about you, but I’m pretty damn hungry.”

“Sure thing,” Renji agrees.

The walk to the dining hall is rather pleasant, especially now that evening is here. The weather is a lot chillier, but it’s nothing that Renji isn’t used to. Besides, he’s felt much colder winters in Canada, so this is so much more mild in comparison.

“So, have you all settled in well?” Rangiku asks them.

“Yeah, pretty much,” Hisagi says, laughing slightly. “You really weren’t exaggerating about how well-prepared the committee is.”

Rangiku chuckles. “Yeah, that they are,” she agrees. “My room has a great view of the Untersberg mountain as well, so that’s pretty nice.”

“Excuse me.”

They stop in their tracks just in time to see a slender Japanese man with black hair in a braid approaching them, wearing a stylish purple sweater and black pants beneath a white peacoat.

“Can we help you?” Renji asks with a polite smile.

“Oh, I just noticed that you were speaking in Japanese, and I was a bit curious,” the man explains. “I don’t remember seeing any of you with Team Japan.”

“We’re all on Team Canada, actually,” Madarame tells him. “You wanna join us for dinner?”

“Of course!” the man says, looking thrilled.

The man then introduces himself as Ayasegawa Yumichika, a half-pipe skier and flag bearer for Team Japan who is competing in his second Olympic games. Likewise, they all introduce themselves to him, as well as mentioning the sports they’re competing in, and Renji, Hisagi, and Ikkaku make sure to mention that this is their very first Winter Olympics.

Much to Renji’s amusement, Madarame is completely fascinated by Yumichika, who seems equally interested in all his stories about hockey. Though in all honesty, the fact that Yumichika is a half-pipe skier is quite the surprise; Renji had assumed that he would be a figure skater with his slender physique.

Then again, one must never judge a book by its cover.

They encounter more athletes from many other countries, including many Japanese athletes, and Renji can’t help but look forward to meeting more of them in the coming days.

Upon reaching the dining hall, they all make sure to show their IDs to the staff, who immediately grant them access.

There are many food stations in the hall, all of which serve a large variety of different foods, including stations that offer traditional Austrian cuisine. Athletes mill about the food stations, serving themselves before going back to their tables to eat and hang out with friends and coaches.

“We should find a place to sit first,” Rangiku says, looking around. “Then we can grab dinner.”

Renji nods, looking over the hall in the hopes of finding an empty table.

“Maybe we should have come earlier,” Hisagi remarks. “It’s already getting a little crowded.”

Renji is about to respond when a distinctly-familiar voice from one of the tables cuts him off.

“Abarai Renji? Is it really…?”

_No… it can’t be…_

Oh, but he’ll recognize that voice anywhere, no matter what.

Slowly, he and his friends turn to see Rukia herself approaching, and his heart pounds hard against his chest as he gets a good look at her. She hasn’t changed much at all: those bright violet eyes, that petite figure clad in a gray sweater dress, and her short black hair, it’s all very much the same.

His shock quickly disappears, and a smile immediately crosses his face as Rukia rushes towards him with a smile.

“Rukia!” he greets, holding his arms out as Rukia throws her arms around him in a tight hug.

“Oh, Renji!” Rukia says happily. “It really is you!”

“Who else would it be?” Renji laughs, returning the hug and lifting her up from the ground for a quick second, catching her by surprise. “You haven’t changed much, haven’t you?”

“And you’ve gotten so tall!” Rukia gushes, pulling away from the hug as she takes a good look at him. “I didn’t think I’d see you here!”

“Well, it’s kind of a long story,” Renji says with a chuckle. “But, long story short, I’m now playing ice hockey for Team Canada.”

“You’re playing hockey?” Rukia repeats, surprised. “Sounds like you’ve gotten a lot done all this time.”

“Oi, Abarai.” Hisagi approaches them along with the others, looking curious. “You know her?”

Quickly remembering his friends, Renji nods. “Yes, I do,” he says. “This is Rukia, my old friend. We grew up together in Japan.”

Rukia nods. _“Enchanté,”_ she greets in French before switching back to Japanese. “I’m Yukimura Rukia, and I’m a figure skater for Team France.”

“Of course you’d be,” Renji teases. “You were practically born for it.”

 _So does that mean Hisana is also competing?_ He wonders, watching his friends introduce themselves to her.

It’s been a while since he’d last seen Hisana as well, so it would be nice to meet her again.

But before he can ask Rukia about her, their conversation is interrupted by another impromptu visitor.

Much to Renji’s surprise, it’s that same beautiful Japanese man he’d seen back at the airport only hours ago.

Just looking at him again is enough to make Renji speechless for a moment, taking in the man’s refined demeanour and pretty face as he appraises them impassively. Likewise, even Rangiku eyes him appreciatively while Hisagi and Madarame regard him curiously.

“Rukia,” the man says, his velvety baritone sounding almost like music to Renji’s ears. “Do you know these people?”

Rukia nods, still smiling. “I was just catching up with an old friend of mine, Nii-sama.” She turns to Renji. “Renji, this is Kuchiki Byakuya, my brother-in-law. He’s a figure skater for Team France, like me. And Nii-sama, this is Abarai Renji, my childhood friend who is apparently competing in hockey for Team Canada.”

 _Brother-in-law?_ Renji thinks, raising an eyebrow.

That means Hisana has gotten married to this man. Though he has no idea why he feels a little dejected at that piece of information.

Byakuya holds his hand out impassively. “A pleasure to meet you, Abarai Renji,” he greets.

Renji nods, taking his hand and marvelling at how soft his palm feels. “You too, Kuchiki-san,” he responds, releasing his hand.

“Why don’t you all come and sit with us?” Rukia invites. “There’s plenty of room at our table, so come!”

“Well, thanks,” Renji says with a smile. “We were just looking for a place to sit.”

They follow Rukia and Byakuya to their table, where five empty chairs are waiting for them. After everyone has taken their coats off and marked the chairs with them, they immediately head to the food stations for dinner.

Somehow, Renji has chosen the chair right next to Byakuya, though he can’t really complain. After serving himself some food, he takes his seat again along with his friends while Rukia introduces them to some of the people sitting at their table.

They’re introduced to Kurosaki Ichigo and Inoue Orihime, a ridiculously adorable ice-dancing duo competing for Team Japan, and a Chinese speed skater by the name of Sui Feng (or ‘Soi Fon’ as they call her in Japanese). Strangely enough, however, there’s no sign of Hisana anywhere.

It’s when Byakuya gets up from the table to dispose of his plate that Renji decides to broach the subject.

“You know, Rukia,” Renji begins, getting her attention. “I had no idea that Hisana had gotten married. How has she been?”

Rukia just nods with a wistful smile. “She and Nii-sama were married for only two years,” she says. “Unfortunately, she passed away four years ago, shortly after they’d returned from the Winter Olympics in Harbin.”

“Oh no…” Renji’s heart sinks. He had no idea that she’d already died. “I’m so sorry to hear that.”

“Hisana-nee was Nii-sama’s partner for pair skating,” she explains. “They started skating together when they were sixteen, and that’s how they fell in love and got married. After she died, Nii-sama switched over to solo skating for good.”

Right then, Byakuya comes back to the table and sits down, so they change the subject.

“So, Renji. You play hockey, right?” Rukia asks, looking somewhat amused. “Why don’t you tell me what that’s like?”

Renji chuckles. “Sure thing.”

So in between dinner, he tells her about his hockey career: how he’d skated for the Yokohama Grits before being drafted into the Toronto Maple Leafs, as well as what it’s like to play hockey. He answers most of Rukia’s questions, and also asks Rukia several questions about what it’s like to live in France, as well as how good her French is.

Unsurprisingly, her French is flawless, with no hint of an accent at all.

“So can you speak French?” Rukia asks him earnestly. “It is the second official language of Canada, after all.”

“Not really,” Renji admits sheepishly. “It’s pretty basic, at the best. But you should hear Madarame Ikkaku. He’s pretty fluent, though it’ll probably sound different to what you speak.”

He glances at his teammate. “Oi, Madarame,” he calls. “Speak a little bit of your Québecois French for my friend, will ya?”

Madarame glances at Rukia. _“Niaise pas avec le puck, mon amie!”_ he tells her. “That means ‘go for it, my friend’.”

Rukia raises an eyebrow. “I’ve never heard that saying before at all.”

“Just wait ‘till you watch us practice,” Renji laughs. “Then you can learn some new swear words for your vocabulary.”

“You’ve made some interesting friends, haven’t you?” Rukia chuckles, shaking her head.

And as the rest of dinner continues on, Renji can’t help but enjoy how light he feels.

God, it feels so good to be reunited with his old friend once more.

* * *

Byakuya scrolls through his phone, silently listening to the various conversations around him as he reflects on this sudden and unexpected encounter.

He certainly hadn’t expected that he would be meeting the same red-haired Japanese man from the airport again, but then again, it shouldn’t be too much of a surprise, considering where they are. But what’s even more surprising is learning that this Abarai Renji is actually a childhood friend of Rukia’s, the same one she’d mentioned not too long ago, actually.

Briefly, he glances up from his phone to observe Rukia and Renji talking with each other, watching how they laugh at some joke that the latter had made.

A part of him is rather curious, surprisingly enough. Just what kind of man is Abarai Renji? Just what was he like as a friend to Rukia and Hisana?

Trying to quell this curiosity, Byakuya slips his black top coat on and buttons it up, then puts his gloves on before putting his phone away.

“I will be returning to my room for the night, Rukia,” he tells her, getting her attention.

“Of course,” Rukia tells him.

But then, much to his surprise, Renji also gets up and puts his own coat and mittens on.

“I think I should be heading back as well,” Renji says. “You know, jet lag and all that.”

“Ah, right,” Rukia says. “Well, sleep well, both of you!”

Once Renji finishes bidding his friends good night, he moves to walk alongside Byakuya as they exit the dining hall into the chilly winter night.

The walk back to the residential area is silent for a short while, but Byakuya is the first one to break it, unable to help his curiosity about Rukia’s childhood friend.

“Have you ever competed in the Winter Olympics before?” he asks casually.

“No, this is my first one,” Renji admits, smiling softly. “It’s also the first for a lot of my teammates as well.”

Byakuya could tell, actually. He’s competed long enough to know which Olympic athletes are the first-timers and which ones are the veterans. And all the first-time athletes have a certain eagerness to them, which he can definitely see in Renji as well.

There’s something about that wide-eyed excitement in Renji that Byakuya finds so endearing, in all honesty. He’s almost reminded of himself and Hisana when they had competed at the Oslo Winter Olympics for the very first time.

To think it’s already been eight years since then…

Shaking his head slightly, Byakuya takes note of how Renji appears completely unaffected by the cold weather.

“Seems like you are used to this kind of weather,” he observes, looking up at the falling snowflakes around them.

“I guess I am,” Renji agrees. “But that’s because it’s even colder in Canada. Hell, sometimes it can go as far as below thirty degrees!”

Byakuya raises an eyebrow. “Sounds quite harsh,” he muses. “Much more than the typical Parisian winter.”

“I guess it’s good that I’ve gone through enough Canadian winters then,” Renji laughs. “Now I’m prepared for even a Siberian winter!”

Again, there’s something about Renji’s energy and fiery spirit that is quite intriguing. It’s a mix of the Japanese yamato-damashii and the classic Canadian politeness, both of which hide a much fiercer side within him, and Byakuya can’t help but find it curiously charming.

And strangely enough, it’s extending to his curiosity about ice hockey. Never before has Byakuya been interested in hockey, finding it far too aggressive for his liking, but now that he’s speaking with Renji, he’s a little curious as to what he’s like as a player.

Wait… just what is he thinking? Why is he so curious about this hockey player he’s never met in his life?

 _I can’t form any attachments with anyone…_ Byakuya tries to remind himself. 

Yet at the same time, he doesn’t want their little talk to end so suddenly.

“I’m gonna be returning to my room now,” Renji says, breaking the silence. “The jet lag is beginning to get to me now.”

A little relieved at not being the one to end things, Byakuya just nods. “Very well,” he concedes. “Have a good night, Abarai.”

“You too,” Renji responds, giving him the same smile from the airport. “I hope to see you around again, Kuchiki-san.”

With that, they part ways for the night.

However, as Byakuya returns to his own room, he feels so… _light._ And he doesn’t really know why.

One thing for sure, though, is that he hasn’t felt this light in a very long time. And oddly enough… he wouldn’t mind feeling it again.

He turns back in the direction of the building that Renji had gone to, staring at the Canadian flag draped from one of the balconies for a brief moment before he turns to return to his own room.

_I hope to see you again as well… Abarai Renji._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- "Niaise pas avec le puck" is another Québecois phrase; it literally means "don't mess around with the puck", and basically means "be confident and go for it". 
> 
> \- I'm not exaggerating when I say it can get as cold as -30 degrees Celsius over here; hell, it can get even colder than that sometimes, lmao.
> 
> \- Yamato-damashii is loosely translated as "the Japanese spirit", and it's believed that anyone who follows this idea can increase their potential.
> 
> And with that, Chapter 2 is finished! Renji has reunited with Rukia, and also encounters Byakuya once more, and now, they're officially curious about each other. I also had a bit of fun with Renji and Hisagi's interactions, lmao. Plus, imagine Renji doing a photoshoot for underwear; it's a very nice mental image, isn't it?
> 
> Please let me know how I did, and have a good one!


	3. Pride, Passion, and Peace

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> On the day of the opening ceremony, Renji gets a glimpse of Byakuya's figure skating, while Byakuya learns that there is a lot more to Renji than what meets the eye.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter turned out a lot longer than I thought it would, in all honesty. But I won't lie, it was rather fun to write, especially the opening ceremony.
> 
> Also, for Byakuya's Worlds free skate performance, I recommend watching [this free skate performance by Yuzuru Hanyu](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=23EfsN7vEOA), who is my main influence for Byakuya's style of skating.
> 
> I hope you all enjoy!

In the days leading up to the opening ceremony, Renji and his teammates have been training and practicing for all their upcoming games, and while the men’s ice hockey games aren’t until four days after the opening ceremony, it’s still important that they practice well enough in order to give their best in their tournaments.

They’d already done the heavy-lifting training and other regimens that focused on injury prevention and maintaining bodily strength and power back in December, so they’ve currently focused on actual ice hockey drills in the rink of the Salzburg Hockey Centre, the main venue for all the Olympic hockey games.

Training has gone pretty well for the past few days, and Renji has to admit, it feels good to be in a rink after a long time. Today’s drills involved practicing their passing and shooting of the puck, and they practice some of the same drills they’ve done before NHL tournaments in the past.

As Komamura had told them, Team Canada is part of ‘Group A’ for the preliminary rounds that take place four days later, with the other hockey teams being Team USA, Team Norway, and Team Slovakia. And even though their first game against Team Norway is in four days, Renji can’t help but feel a little nervous.

“Is it weird that I’m feeling a little anxious about our game against Norway?” Renji asks, wrapping a towel around his waist before stepping out of the shower.

“Not at all,” Iba reassures him, speaking over the sound of the shower spray. “But look at it this way: at least we’re not playing against Russia.”

“God, don’t get me started on Team Russia…” Hisagi groans. “Those guys were merciless at the World Championships last year!”

“Tell me about it,” Muguruma agrees. “Remember what they did to you, Abarai?”

How could Renji forget? He still remembers how he was body checked into the boards so hard, he’d bitten the inside of his cheek until it had fucking  _ bled. _ But of course, like any good hockey player, he’d fought through the pain and continued playing.

“I still remember that very well, thank you very much,” Renji concedes. “But I don’t know, I just… I don’t want us to lose.”

“Which is why we’ve been training hard,” Iba says, patting his shoulder. “So don’t stress yourself about it now. After all, the opening ceremony is tonight, so you should be looking forward to that.”

Ah, yes. The opening ceremony is taking place tonight at the Salzburg Olympiahalle, a huge stadium that seats about fifty-thousand people, that was built specifically for the Olympics this year.

As he changes into his jeans and deep-red sweater, Renji can’t help but wonder what the stadium will be used for after the Olympics have ended. After all, it’s not like Salzburg is ever going to host such a major sports event again, and it would be a real shame if that was just left abandoned and unused afterwards.

“Well, would you look at that?” Madarame’s voice rings out through the change room. “I knew Rangiku was going to do this!”

_ What has she done now? _

“What’s going on?” he asks, approaching Madarame along with Hisagi and a few other teammates.

Madarame holds his phone up. “Look at what Rangiku posted this morning!” he tells them.

Renji’s eyes widen slightly as he leans down to get a good look at the screen that’s displaying an Instagram page.

_ Fucking hell, Rangiku…!  _

As it turns out, Rangiku has uploaded a series of modelling shots done by various Team Canada athletes, all with a caption that reads, “Check out the goods of Team Canada!”. And even though it was uploaded rather early in the morning, it’s already gotten more than  _ three hundred thousand _ likes.

And of course, the first modelling shot is Renji’s Emporio Armani underwear shoot. After that is Hisagi’s cover shoot for the December issue of GQ Magazine, followed by Rangiku’s own bikini shoot for last month’s Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, among other notable modelling shots.

“Goddamn, it’s already gotten three-hundred-thousand likes!” Hisagi says, stunned. “Is everyone really that horny for us already?!”

“And the likes just keep on increasing!” Iba points out.

“Looks like everyone wants a piece of Team Canada,” Madarame laughs.

Renji isn’t really sure whether he should be flattered or embarrassed at that.

Eventually, everyone finishes changing before they put away their equipment and exit the change rooms just in time for the men’s hockey team from Germany to take over for their own practice.

“So, what do you wanna do, now that practice is over?” Hisagi asks as he and Renji step out into the cold.

“Wanna watch the figure skaters?” Renji suggests.

Hisagi just smirks at him. “You wanna watch Kuchiki Byakuya, don’t you?” he teases.

Much to Renji’s dismay, his cheeks heat up fast as he lightly shoves his best friend. “Shut up…” he grumbles. “What if I told you that I just wanted to meet with Rukia again?”

“I mean, that’s fine too,” Hisagi chuckles. “Alright, let’s go.”

They head towards the EisPalast, the venue for the figure skating and short track speed skating events, where all the figure skaters have been practicing over the past few days. It’s not too far off from the hockey centre, fortunately, allowing for a quick walk before they arrive at the arena.

Upon arriving, they show their IDs to the staff members, who let them in with a word of caution not to be too loud. And once they’ve agreed, they are allowed to enter the rink itself.

The rink is quite large, and compared to the hockey rink, it only has an edelweiss pattern right in the center of the ice. The venue looks like it could seat over thirteen-thousand people, and Renji can’t help but imagine just what it would look like with all the seats filled up.

And out on the rink, Rukia is among several skaters gliding across the ice, each one careful enough to avoid colliding with one another, while numerous coaches observe from the sidelines. Also in the seats are other skaters, presumably waiting for their turn to practice.

Sure enough, Byakuya is one of those skaters sitting in a seat closest to the rink, dressed in a long-sleeved gray shirt with black pants, his hair tied up in a high ponytail as he watches Rukia skate.

Also seated near him are Kurosaki and Inoue, who are talking about something among themselves.

Unable to help the little spark of excitement, Renji immediately approaches Byakuya with a smile.

“Kuchiki-san!” he greets, being careful not to raise his voice.

Byakuya turns to him, raising an eyebrow in mild surprise as he sees Renji and Hisagi approaching him. Kurosaki and Inoue, on the other hand, are happy to wave them over.

“What are you doing here?” he asks. “I thought you two were practicing at the hockey centre.”

“We just finished not too long ago,” Renji explains, taking a seat next to him. “So we decided to come and check out the figure skaters.”

“You mean you’re not sore after getting rammed into a board?” Kurosaki asks in disbelief.

“That’s not what we do in hockey drills,” Hisagi says dryly. “We were practicing our passing and shooting techniques, in case you were wondering.”

As Hisagi engages in conversation with Kurosaki and Inoue, Renji just focuses his attention on Byakuya.

“How’s practice been going?” Renji asks.

Byakuya shrugs. “I haven’t had a chance yet,” he says. “Right now, it’s the women’s turn for practice. They’ll finish eventually, and then the male skaters can practice. After that will be the pair skaters’ turn, and then it’ll be the ice dancers’ turn.”

That’s fair enough. Besides, the rink would probably get pretty crowded if all the skaters tried practicing at the same time.

“I’ve just been watching Rukia practice right now,” Byakuya says, pointing her out on the rink. “You should see for yourself, Abarai.”

Renji turns to look at the rink, right as Rukia does a spinning jump in the air before expertly landing on the ice and gliding away.

She skates to an unknown rhythm, one that only she is familiar with, and when she spins in place on one foot, it’s truly the most elegant thing that Renji has seen in his life. He’s not very familiar with figure skating, apart from the little stories that Hisana used to tell him about it, but he has to admit that despite the beauty of the sport, watching the skaters jump and land makes him wince a little.

He can’t help but wonder what Rukia must look like when skating in a pretty costume.

“She is a prodigy in skating,” Byakuya remarks. “Hisana was like her as well. It’s no wonder that Shihouin Yoruichi was so willing to take her and Rukia as her students.”

Indeed, Renji can’t help but agree. Rukia skates like she belongs on the ice, and if this is how she skates, he can only imagine what Byakuya must be like as a skater. He then mentally reminds himself to search up the schedules of the figure skating events so he can catch them at some point.

Right then, a whistle echoes through the arena, and all the skaters move to step off the ice.

As Rukia steps off the ice, that’s when she notices Renji along with Byakuya, prompting her to wave excitedly at them.

“Renji!” she greets, her skates in hand as she makes her way towards him. “What are you doing here?”

“I wanted to check out the skaters,” Renji explains. “You were pretty great, Rukia.”

“Oh, just wait until the actual event,” Rukia says with a smile as she sits down. “That’s when it’ll be truly amazing to watch.”

Right then, all the male skaters begin to head out onto the ice, prompting Byakuya to make his way out onto the rink.

Their conversation ends as both Renji and Rukia turn to watch Byakuya skate, silence falling over them both while they observe.

And for a moment, Renji is completely mesmerized by what he sees. If Rukia is elegant, then Byakuya… well, he’s on a completely different level.

Byakuya glides across the ice with an almost inhuman grace and elegance, almost as if he’s a spirit of winter. He performs three consecutive jumps, each one quicker than the last, before landing cleanly without a single misstep. There’s also a bit of a seductive undertone to this particular routine, and Renji can’t help but feel surprised at how  _ flexible  _ Byakuya proves himself to be.

“That’s his short program that he’s practicing,” Rukia explains with a proud smile, pulling her phone out. “Do you want to see the free skate program that got Nii-sama in first place at the Worlds last year in Milan?”

Renji nods. “Sure thing.”

He leans close to look down at the video on Rukia’s phone as she taps ‘play’. Distantly, he notices Hisagi, Kurosaki, and Inoue crowding to watch the video, but keeps his gaze on the screen.

The video starts with an announcement in Italian and English as Byakuya skates out onto the rink and gets into a pose, his gaze intent and focused. His hair is in a high ponytail, and his costume is quite stunning. It consists of black pants with a white long-sleeved top adorned with white embroidery, crystal beading, gold and black beading patterned in swirls on the front, back, and sleeves, and little touches of purple and turquoise that add a pop of colour to the whole ensemble.

A bar appears on the lower part of the screen, displaying Byakuya’s name, age, coach, and then the music of his program, titled ‘Seimei’.

The moment the music starts, Byakuya is skating over the rink, gliding with that same inhuman grace and elegance. He performs every jump so cleanly, then lands without a single misstep, and each spin is done so skillfully, Renji has to wonder how he doesn’t get dizzy. He also has a bit of a dramatic flair to him, and his flexibility is equally impressive.

It’s almost like Byakuya is the prince of the rink, with the way he moves and commands all attention upon him. Renji can only imagine what it would have been like to watch this program live.

When Byakuya finishes with a flourish after a final spin, the entire arena bursts into applause. A faint smile crosses Byakuya’s face as he bows to the audience before it disappears just as quickly, and he catches a bouquet of flowers that’s tossed at him before the video ends.

“Wow…” Renji breathes, looking up at Rukia. “That was amazing.”

Rukia smiles proudly. “It really was,” she agrees. “Nii-sama is such a natural at figure skating, whether it’s solo or pairs skating.”

“We were there for it as well,” Inoue adds, her eyes shining. “It was even better watching it in person, honestly.”

“What was better?”

As if on cue, Byakuya approaches them with his skates in hand, apparently having finished his practice not too long ago.

“I was just showing Renji your free skate from Milan last year,” Rukia explains with a smile.

Renji nods, also giving him a smile. “It was very beautiful, Kuchiki-san,” he praises sincerely. “I only wish I could’ve seen it in person.”

Much to his surprise, Byakuya just averts his eyes as he takes a sip of water from his bottle.

“You have my thanks,” he says, sounding a little hesitant. “It was one of my favourite programs to perform as well.”

Something about that sudden shyness is honestly rather… cute. How is it that someone so elegant and sophisticated on the ice can be so endearing and so adorably shy off the ice?

_ I wonder what else there is to this man…  _ He thinks to himself.

And deep down, that little spark of interest has only kindled into something a little bit stronger.

* * *

With the solo skaters’ practice finished at the EisPalast, he and Rukia leave the arena with Renji in tow, as Rukia had wished to spend more time with her childhood best friend. His teammate, Hisagi Shuuhei, had decided to return to the Olympic Village and take a nap before the opening ceremony, and while Byakuya could have also gone back, a part of him just wants to spend some time in Renji and Rukia’s company.

So he just walks with them through the streets of the village complex, listening to them talk about various matters while going through his Instagram feed.

Byakuya is not extremely active on social media, but he always makes sure to be as professional as he can on Instagram. Idly, he finds himself following Renji’s account, curiously looking through his photos from past tournaments, his everyday life, and offseason training, unable to help his curiosity.

“Tell me, Renji,” Rukia says. “What was your last hockey tournament prior to the Olympics?”

“The World Championships in Saint Petersburg last year,” Renji says proudly. “And we beat Team Russia in the gold medal game.”

Byakuya raises an eyebrow. That’s quite impressive, actually.

“Of course, it wasn’t exactly easy,” Renji chuckles. “I got body-checked pretty badly by one of the Russians. Slammed into the rink boards so hard, I ended up biting the inside of my cheek to the point of tasting blood in my mouth.”

Now, Byakuya looks up at him incredulously, and even Rukia looks just as stunned.

“You’re serious?” she asks.

Renji shrugs. “I mean, I’ve gotten worse injuries,” he tells them. “I played a game with a sprained ankle once, so a cheek bite was nothing.”

“Geez… you hockey players really are a different breed!” Rukia says disbelievingly. “And here I thought all those stories were exaggerating!”

Shaking his head, Byakuya looks back down at his Instagram activity feed when he notices that Rukia has recently liked a photoset by Matsumoto Rangiku, a Japanese-Canadian alpine skier and two-time Olympic silver medallist.

Curious, he taps on the image to check it out, only for his eyes to widen slightly in surprise at what comes up on the screen.

It’s a modelling shot of Abarai Renji himself, wearing nothing but a pair of black underwear with ‘Emporio Armani’ upon the waistband that leaves nothing to the imagination at all. His body is muscular, well-defined, and decorated with black jagged tattoos that Byakuya hadn’t expected to see whatsoever.

His upper arms are covered with patterns resembling tiger stripes, his well-defined pecs are marked with a unique interlocking pattern, and black jagged lines mark his firm abs and hip bones, which also point to a rather noticeable V-line upon his lower abdomen.

And if that weren’t enough, Renji’s crimson hair spills freely past his shoulders, falling to his mid-back, and he gives the camera a sensual, provocative gaze.

Byakuya can’t help but take it all in, and he barely even notices the other modelling shots that Matsumoto has uploaded. Before he realizes, he double-taps the screen to like the post, adding onto the more than five-hundred-thousand likes before reading through the many lustful comments from various fans and athletes alike.

“I certainly had no idea that you had this many tattoos, Abarai,” Byakuya remarks out loud, looking up at him.

Much to his amusement, Renji’s cheeks flush red.

“I did that shoot because it paid well,” he says, trying to hide his embarrassment. “I didn’t think it would make me  _ that _ popular.”

“You shouldn’t be shy, Renji,” Rukia tells him with a playful smirk. “Besides, you should feel proud that every single athlete and fan from around the world loves your tattoos. And if you got it, then flaunt it!”

Seeing how flustered Renji is… it’s rather endearing. For someone who looks so rough and fierce, he seems rather shy and easily flustered as well. 

Clearly, there’s a lot more to Renji than what meets the eye. And now that he’s seen the extent of Renji’s tattoos, there’s a sudden rush of warmth that runs through Byakuya as he saves the image to his personal photos.

_ Perhaps I should try and watch one of the hockey games.  _ He muses to himself as they arrive at the residential complex.

But for now, he and Rukia part ways with Renji so they can all get ready for the opening ceremony tonight.

* * *

The outfits for Team France are quite stylish, Byakuya has to admit. It consists of white turtlenecks with deep-blue pants, and the navy-blue trench coat only rounds out the whole outfit completely.

Byakuya looks over himself in the mirror before putting on his red beret, white scarf, and black gloves. However, as he fastens the belt around his trench coat, his mind is filled with memories of the Harbin Winter Olympics four years ago, when he and Hisana had gotten ready for the opening ceremony together.

He sighs softly.

_ I wish you were here, Hisana…  _

“Are you alright, Kuchiki-san?”

His thoughts are interrupted by none other than Izuru Kira, the half-Japanese and half-French snowboarder who he is rooming with.

Byakuya nods, quickly composing himself. “I’m ready,” he says. “Let’s go meet with the rest of the team.”

Kira nods. “Of course.”

They leave the room with their little French flags in hand, heading down to the lobby together. Unsurprisingly, they’re the first ones who have gotten ready.

Eventually, though, all the French athletes and coaches arrive in their Team France attire, and they set out for the Salzburg Olympiahalle for the opening ceremony.

There’s an air of excitement that hangs over everyone as they arrive at the huge stadium, and even Byakuya can’t help but enjoy the anticipation within him. It might not be his first opening ceremony, but there is something rather thrilling about the Parade of Nations that even he cannot deny.

“Are you ready to march, Byakuya?” Otoribashi asks him as they near the stadium.

Byakuya nods. “I think I am,” he says. “I just hope things go well enough.”

“I’m sure they will,” Otoribashi reassures him.

At last, they arrive at the stadium, and staff members immediately guide them to the holding area where other countries are waiting. They’re briefed on how the ceremony will go and what they should expect, and Kira is given a large French flag before being made to stand alongside a pretty girl in a white dirndl holding a frosted sign with ‘France’ and ‘Frankreich’ emblazoned upon it.

“I’m so nervous,” Rukia admits as Byakuya moves to stand next to her. “So many people will be watching us.”

“I know,” Byakuya agrees. “But I’m sure you’ll do well, Rukia.”

Nearby, there’s a large TV to provide live coverage of the ceremony and currently showing the pre-ceremony activities taking place inside the stadium.

It’s as Byakuya glances over at the TV that he notices the large sea of red that is the collective athletes of Team Canada. All of them are wearing red parkas with a black horizontal stripe with ‘CANADA’ emblazoned in white, black pants, and red boots. Upon their heads are red and white beanies, and they all wear matching mittens upon their hands.

And among those athletes is Renji himself, his crimson hair flowing freely beneath his beanie. He looks so excited, animatedly talking with his friends about something or the other, and Byakuya can’t help but watch on fondly.

As if on cue, Renji notices Byakuya and Rukia, and he excitedly waves before approaching them.

“You guys look great!” Renji says with a grin. “I guess I should’ve known that Team France would look stylish.”

“And you look very cosy,” Rukia remarks. “Then again, it looks pretty good on you.”

He then turns to Byakuya. “Are you excited for this?” he asks.

Byakuya shrugs. “I wouldn’t say I’m excited, but I am looking forward to it,” he admits. “But I can see that you’re quite excited, Abarai.”

“Of course I am!” Renji says. “It’s my first Olympics, after all!”

“Please go and stand with your nation, sir,” a staff member interjects. “The opening ceremony will start soon.”

Renji nods sheepishly. “R-Right. Sorry ‘bout that.” He gives Byakuya another smile. “Good luck.”

With that, he goes back to stand with Team Canada.

Byakuya just watches him go for a moment, a faint smile briefly tugging at the corners of his lips.

“Oh?” Yoruichi’s teasing voice cuts in. “Looks like someone made a friend.”

Byakuya just narrows his eyes at Yoruichi, but whatever he has to say is interrupted by the live countdown from the TV.

_ And now… it begins.  _ He thinks, watching the screen.

It starts off with a video of a cherubic little girl in a red and white dirndl out in the Alps, watching over the sheep when suddenly, five glowing orbs appear before her before scattering through the land. The girl then goes on an adventure through five different periods of Austrian history (Medieval Austria, the Habsburg dynasty, Maria Theresa’s rule, Austria-Hungary, and the Roaring 20’s) to find those glowing orbs before she enters the stadium itself and casts the orbs into the air, and it's very clear what the themes of the ceremony are: pride, passion, and peace.

The orbs float around for a brief moment before coming together to form the five Olympic rings, and are subsequently set aflame, to the delight of the audience.

After that display, the Austrian national anthem is performed by the Vienna Boys’ Choir while the flag is brought in. And once the flag has been raised, it’s finally time for the Parade of Nations.

Electronic dance music blares through the stadium as Greece, the founders of the Olympics, is sent out first to loud cheers from the audience.

All the countries march out in order of the German alphabet, and eventually, after Team Finland is announced, it’s France’s turn to march out.

“Let’s go, everyone!” Kira says, readying his flag as they prepare to march out.

Finally, their nation is announced, and Kira leads the way into the stadium to loud applause and cheers.

Everyone beams and smiles, waving their French flags in the air, and even Byakuya can’t hide his tiny smile for a brief moment as he waves his own little French flag to the audience. Of course, his heart aches a little as he recalls how Hisana had walked alongside him four years ago in Harbin, but Byakuya suppresses those memories in favour of waving his flag and marching along with his fellow athletes.

They eventually reach the end of the parade, where they file into their assigned seating right as Great Britain is announced.

And as Byakuya watches the parade, he finds himself actually looking forward to Team Canada’s entrance for the first time.

* * *

Thanks to how ‘Canada’ is spelled in the German language, it’ll take some time before it’s Team Canada’s turn to march out.

Nevertheless, Renji can barely conceal his anticipation as he watches the various nations march out into the stadium. He’d seen how excited Rukia had looked when Team France had marched out, and hearing the various cheers in the stadium mixed in with the electronic dance music playing throughout the parade only heightens his excitement even further.

“It’s almost time for us!” Rangiku says with a smile, readying her flag. “Get ready, everyone!”

And finally, their country is announced, right as they emerge into the stadium to thunderous applause and cheers.

Renji waves his own Canada and Austria flags to the crowd, his smile bright and eager. Next to him, Hisagi waves his own flags and cheers along with the crowd, and when they notice a news camera recording them, both Renji and Hisagi are quick to wave and cheer at the camera before continuing on their path.

It’s truly amazing, how infectious the atmosphere of the ceremony is right now. Renji has never experienced anything like it in his entire life, and the amount of cheering he hears from the audience only intensifies the adrenaline that rushes through his veins.

He notices a few Canadian flags being waved in the audience, and he can’t help but wonder how many people back in Canada are watching the ceremony live. It’s not an extreme time difference, but considering that this is playing during the afternoon there, most people might opt to watch the evening replay later.

“We’re actually here, Hisagi!” Renji shouts, unable to help himself. “We’re at the Olympics!”

“I know!” Hisagi shouts back, recording everything on his phone. “Our first Olympics ever!”

At the end of their path, not too long after Team Colombia is called out, they’re filed into their designated seating area. As Renji settles down in his seat next to Hisagi, he briefly considers looking for Byakuya and Rukia, but considering the arrangements, he gives up on that idea.

The Parade of Nations continues on, with some teams having barely any athletes, yet still marching out proudly, while others are huge teams that incite thunderous applause from the audience as they march through the stadium. Eventually, the host nation of Austria is announced to loud applause and cheers, and even Renji can’t help cheering them on as they make their way through the stadium until they reach their own seats.

With the Parade of Nations complete, the rest of the ceremony continues, journeying through Austrian history through the eyes of the little shepherdess girl.

Most of it is a blur to Renji, since he has zero knowledge of Austria’s history. However, the most notable parts that stand out to him are the segments focusing on Mozart and Haydn, as well as the large Vienna Opera Ball that takes place in the stadium itself, featuring real débutantes and their partners in evening dress as they gracefully perform the Viennese waltz to pieces by classical Austrian composers.

After some performances by the Vienna State Ballet, the rest of the ceremony passes by in a blur, and before Renji realizes, the Olympic torch is carried right into the stadium, and after passing it to several others, two of the torch bearers jointly light the impressive cauldron, right as fireworks are fired into the air.

“Now, the games have officially begun,” Rangiku whispers with a smile.

And as all the athletes depart back to the Olympic Village, Renji just inhales the crisp air of the winter night, and exhales with a smile, his heart pounding hard against his chest.

Nothing else that can possibly beat out tonight’s experience of being in his very first Olympic opening ceremony.

Right now, he’s on top of the world, and nothing can possibly take away from it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> \- "EisPalast" translates to "Ice Palace" in German. I also took the name "Olympiahalle" from the sports venue of the same name in Innsbruck. 
> 
> \- My main influence for this opening ceremony was the one from the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics, especially with its focus on history and dance, and also the little girl being a key part of the ceremony's story.
> 
> I have to admit, I had fun writing this chapter, especially the fanservice and the opening ceremony.
> 
> Please let me know how I did, and have a good one!


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